Washington, DC — Following yesterday’s shooting at a Lafayette, Louisiana movie theater reportedly with a 40 caliber handgun that left two dead and nine injured before the shooter killed himself, Violence Policy Center (VPC) Executive Director Josh Sugarmann issued the following statement:

“Once again, ordinary Americans just living their lives have been victimized in a vicious gun attack. And while this latest shooting has shaken Louisiana, the sad and all too often unacknowledged fact is that day in and day out gun violence takes a heavy toll in the state. In 2013, Louisiana’s per capita firearm homicide rate was first in the nation, and it ranked second in the rate of overall gun death (which includes suicide and unintentional deaths) according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. We need stronger gun laws in Louisiana and across the nation so that all Americans can feel safe going about their daily lives.”

The Violence Policy Center is a national educational organization working to stop gun death and injury. Follow the VPC on Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube.

The Violence Policy Center is a national tax-exempt educational organization working for a safer America through research, investigation, analysis, and advocacy. The VPC provides information to policymakers, journalists, organizations, advocates, and the general public. Click here to learn more.